Hosiery



Jan. 10, 1950 E. w. BOEDEKER 2,493,910

HOSIERY 4 Shets-Sheec 1 Filed June 5, 1944 Jan. 10, 1950 E. w. BOEDEKER 2,493,910

HOSIERY Filed June 3, 1944 I 4 ShGtS-ShGBt 5 IN VENTOR.

Edward Wfioede/acn Jan 10,, 1950 E. W. BOEDEKER HOSIERY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 5, 1944 INVENTOR. Eduard Wfioedeke/i Patented Jan. 10, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HOSIERY Edward W. Boedeker, Fort Wayne,,Ind.

Application June 3, 1944', Serial'No. 538,594

1 Claim.

This invention pertains to stockings and more particularly to a Womans stocking formed by a single operation, said stocking to be of any knitted texture such as a smooth, regular knit, mesh, non-run, etc.

In knitting stockings it has been usual to knit the leg portion of the stocking in one operation on a conventional; leg knitting machine, the leg of the stocking being knitted substantially fiat, the edges which ultimately are sewn together, to form theback seam being suitably shaped in the well known manner on said machines. The leg portion is also formed on said machine providing depending heel portions or tabs so that the stocking at this point in its formation is substantially. U-shaped when placed in flattened condition.

Having formed this portion of the stocking; it is then necessary to put the article on a footerto form the sole, instep and toe portions. It will thus be appreciated that it is necessary to accurately place on the footer the portion of the stocking completed during the first step. Otherwise, there is a danger'that there will be a mismatching of the contours of the heel and :sole reenforcements, causing an unsightly foot. Further it is necessary that the adjustment of the legger: and footer be the same, or there will be a'difference in the character of the knittinginthe leg and: footcausing the above referred to shading.

In completing thistype of stocking, it is necessary to loop or close the'toe and heel. It is then necessary, as a distinct step, to seamthe sole (between the toe and heel) and then, as a final step, the leg is seamed. With this type of stocking there is the additional danger that the heel will be ill-fitting, that there will be projectionsor ears'at each side of the heel where it is looped, andfurther, that there will be a thickened seam where the looping and the seams join. Not only that, but with this type of stocking it-is diflicult to obtain a symmetrical contour on the upper edge of the high-splicing of the heel, for example, where the upper edge is designed to be absolutely perpendicular to the seam. In such type of stocking, when completed, there isthe danger that this edge will be angularly disposed with respectto the seam, and, as a matter of fact, it is rarely of proper design contour. In completingthis type of stocking it will additionally be appreciated that,inasmuch as the toe and heel are looped prior. to the seaming (and the seaming andlooping are done ondifierent machines), it; ismecessary for theseaming operation to. removethe stocking from the seaming gauge after. onehas; been; put' in the foot, and.then..-reinseizt 2 the stocking in the seaming gauge for forming the final seam in the leg. This multiplicity of. op.- erations makes for slower production and increases the chances ior mistakes in the final completion, and further increases the opportunityfor damage to the stocking due to the number of. times the stocking must be handled. In this type of stocking it is also to be kept in mind thatin the completed garment the wales in-the leg and heel are substantially coextensive. The. wales in the instepv portion substantially follow the instep, but the wales in the sole and toe are substantially at right angles to the. wales in the leg and heel, particularly in a womans stocking, and. the contour of the-foot is not followed, nor can the heel pocket be accurately formed, so-that there. is the danger of bunching of the material under the heel, which is-not-only unsightly, but uncomfortable. g I

Attempts have been made to form a stockingby a single operation. By single operation is meant the complete forming of the stocking; on. a single machine without the necessity at any time ofremoving the stocking from themachine, from the start of the leg: portion to the completion of the toe portion. However, such one operation stockings have required special machines of. expensive operations. In order to form certain operation stockings, a multiplicity of narrowing fingers is required which; inthe completed stock.- ing, causes the wales in the heels to run in a plurality ofdirections, thereby aiiecting the fit of the heel. Due to the multiplicity of narrowing fingers necessary on. theknitting machine, it

is necessary to employ complicated mechanism. for effecting the operation of said fingers which,

of'course, is expensive. v

In another" type of single operation stocking,

the heel pocketis formed. by progressively ren'- to be noted that the wales in the heel" sweep;

aroundthe contour of the heel, which prevents proper fitting.

, In'the'. finishing thestoc'king in accordance with the herein contemplated method, theabove:

objections. arev eliminated. The. stocking is made able bunching of material under the heel or at any other place. The configuration of the heel can be accurately determined so that the upper line of the heel is exact, that is, it is exactly in line and perpendicular to the seam, and there can be. of course, no mismatching of any of the parts of the stocking, as it is completely made on a single machine, and thus there is no danger of a difference in the knitting, nor is there a chance that there will be a difierence in the material, as rna'y happen as above pointed'out in the case of the conventional stocking.

In addition to this, in completing the stocking, a single machine may be used in'a continuous operation for forming the seam in both the leg and foot, thus eliminating the above referred to looping operations at the heel. This, of course, not only makes for less handling of the stocking, but permits the speeding up'of the'seaming operations, as there is no discontinuing of one seaming step and continuing of another seaming step, as is necessary as above explained with respect to the first referred to process.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a single operation stocking which can be knitted on a single machine.

Another object is to provide a single operation stocking of any knitted texture such as a smooth regular knit, mesh,non-run, etc.

Still, another object is to provide a single operation stockingwhich closely fits the foot and in Whichthe wales of the foot are disposed at an angle other than 90 degrees to those in the heel.

Yet another objectis to provide a single operation stocking where the foot and leg seams are continuous and uninterrupted.

A further object is to provide'a single operation stockin which can be kniton conventional machines now in use with only the addition of a relatively inexpensive control means therefor.

A yet further object is to provide a single operation stocking where the wales in the foot are disposed at an angle of substantially 60 degrees to those in the heel to thereby insure better fittingof the Wearers heel.

Another further object is to provide a stock-' narrowing fingers and carriers of the knitting ma chine.

A diflerent object is to provide a stocking which can be knitted on only one machine, obviating the danger of mismatching.

Another different object is to provide a single operation stocking wherein a prefectly smooth and close fittin heel is attained and one which may be completed by a minimum of handling operations, i. e., it is only necessary to loop the toe and sew the remainderof the stocking.

Another object of the invention is to provide a single operation stocking wherein the shaping of the heel is more easily and accurately controlled.

-' Another object of the invention is to provide a single operation stocking wherein various shapes of heels can be knitted on a single machine without extensive changes being made to the mechanism of the machine.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in .the specification, drawings and claim appended hereto.

In the drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of the invention, and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like part: I Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, are fragmentary side elevations of modified forms of stockings showing foot, heel, and a portion ofthe leg, in flattened condition, showing in a somewhat diagrammatic manner the disposition of the wales, the spacing of the wales being exaggerated for the sake of clearness. I

Figure .5 is a fragmentary, partly interrupted section of a stocking, showing the disposition of. the knitted loops in the formation of the stock ing illustrated in Figure 1, from a point which is prior to the start of the heel, and extending around said heel and into said sole, and for the distance of the sole narrowing, the bottom of saidview being prior'to the heel.

Figure 6 is an enlargement of the knitted loops forming one of the apertures of the gore line.

' Figure 7 is an enlargement of the knitted loops showing the disposition of the loops obtained by the heel narrowing.

Figure 8 is an enlargement showing the looping obtained in knitting occasioned by the sole narrowing.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary perspective elevation showing a form of main narrowing and widening fingers, together with the associated auxiliary fingers as applied to one form of knitting machine (H. S. L. type machine). 7

Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective elevation showing a form 'of main narrowing and widening fingers, together with the associated auxiliary fingers as applied to another form of knitting machine (Reading type machine using the lace rods equipped with the auxiliary widening fingers).

Referring first of all to the stockings illustrated in Figures 1 to 8 inclusive, the top (not shown) and leg are knitted in the conventional manher to the start of the high splicing 22 (which defines the start of the reinforcing carried through the heel, sole, and toe), the reinforcing thread being operative at the start of the high splicing, and the size of the stitching being in-' creased due to the use of the reinforcing thread; This type of knitting is continued until the start of the heel at 24 at which point, or course, there is a Widening caused by a controlled outward movement of the main narrowing and auxiliary widening fingers operating as a single finger.

In Figure 9 there is illustrated a plurality of narrowing finger rods 25 to which are supported the inner, main narrowing and wideningfinger's 28 provided with the usual narrowing and widen-' ing needles 3i]. Outer auxiliary widening fingers 32 provided with widening needles 3% are di s posed outwardly of the fingers 28 and closely adjacent thereto, and are supported on the har Figure 10, the finger rods 35 respectively support: the inner, main narrowing and widening fingers '38 having theneedles 40 thereon and the adja ce'nt lace rods42 are provided respectively with:

term

' outer auxiliary widenin f fingers 44 Shaving nee- 'clles 45 thereon,-sai-d fingers 44 being disposed a'djacent the rrespective .fingers 338, land being adapted to moved out i of :operative position by :rotation around the respective lla'ceirods -42.

In the knittingof'the stocking: down to theend of the usual leg narrowingma'rk (not shown) it has been ifound convenient to i use substantially Lthree'-fourthsof ran inch: of the fingers :28 :or 38, :the use of the ."firigers being :then-discontinued until the course. starting thei'heel, i=which is I the course at .224; at :which': point the :widening: begins 'an'dithe-eentire width of :the fingers (28--.3.2 tor 38 46) :is utilized. lThewidthz-of the combined fingers may convenientlybe.twoinches widewhi-le the 'twziithcxofi'the auxiliaryffingers (3244) are substantially three-fourths of an inch. The above referred'toproportions of the fingers may, .of course, be suitably changed and -are merely given here by way of illustration.

Thus at thepoint 24 of the stocking, i. e., at the start of the heel, both-the narrowing and widening fingers and atnzili-a-ry fingers (ZS-32; :38.4.4)garte operative together. .It is understood, rrof-icourse, that two sets offin'gers are used-:on each glmitt'mg'head, said. head knitting-7a single stocking. ..At .the point 24, the size :of the rstitch'is :again. increased so thatit is larger than the-size of'the stitch beginning at theistart of :therhigh ssplicingmaslat 22, the increase-of the-.stitch-at the'i point-24 in efiect permitting-ea better fitting :heelpocket to be formed.

:"Asrabovejpointed out, at the-start of :the: heel at 24iboth=fingers (28-32 ores-=44) are lltilized qan-d the .-yarn carriers move=.outwardly,:loutward qmovementof the narrowing fingers takingrpla-ce over a distance equal to one needle spacing while the carriers are moved over a distance of two needle spacings causing the formation of a stitch such as illustrated in Figure 6, and as the knitting continues aligned apertures 52 are formed whereby in the completed stocking a gore line 54 is formed of said aligned apertures. It is understood that the narrowing fingers are moved first a distance equal to that between two adjacent needles, termed one needle spacing, but in order to complete the outside wales in unbroken alignment( to the point or course 48), that is, to prevent discontinuance of the wales, which would happen if the fingers did not catch up to the carriers, the fingers are thereafter moved an additional distance equal to one needle spacing (to thereby move the narrowin fingers a distance equal to that moved by the carriers) after the carriers have moved through one or more courses, that is, have moved laterally through a complete stroke or course.

At the course 48 which is the start of the heel mock fashioning or heel mock fashioning mark 58, the carriers no longer move outwardly, and outer fingers 32 or 44 have been rendered inoperative as above pointed out, and at that point the inner fingers 23 or 38 still continue to move outwardly in the same manner that they have been moving outwardly, continuing the formation of an aperture 52 (Figure in alignment with prior aperture 52 to a predetermined point or course 55 forming the straight unbroken gore 54. The mock fashioning mark 58 caused by the outward movement of fingers 2B or 38 between courses 48 and 59 set over a distance equal to the space between two needles, that is, one needle spacing. As fingers 28 or 3B are moved outwardly between courses 48 and 5!] and as the carriers no longer move outwardly during the formation of :the-courses-lietween 48 zands5ll, knittingitakes place itorthesedgefifi' o'fi'the stocking: and the heel mock riashioningronmarkzfiBds: formed between courses 443 mn'd ifll,ttheistitchzthereof appearing :as :illusitrated inzliigurefl, itlibeingseen that the'gore line :54 extends toithe course 502and it also :eis-seen -that*-Ithe knitting :of the-sedge continues forming eelean zedgeirwherenorstitches are drop In OthEI'EWOl'dS, thezoutwardrmovement of thefingers :causirtg. :the narrowing is determined by the lengthzofimai k :58 iwhichrmust terminate before edge ism'eachedgotherwise thereare no .continuouszedge.wailespandrstitches COUldibG dropped, :oraruns occur. .i-Referring snow ;particularly to :Figures 1 Sand 5 to 8 lnclusiuegafter course 50, the sole narrowsingobeginsgthis iis: e'fiected by' utilizing :a predexterminedinumbereofzneedles of the r innenfingers msflfiforiexample, incthersto-cking, illustrated, utilizing rabout' ethreeerourths -:of "an inch .of' the .innerrneedles. :EhisnarroWing takes place: for :73. rpredetermineid- .zdistan'ce, 'form-ing :the sole anarrowingxmark :61];- :one:o'f-the: :stitches of said mark 6!] being illustrated in Figure 8. Aftertheuendingiof theimarki fill, the remainder of thestock- :ing is knitted-inz-the conventional manner and it .will'be :seenthat-the reinforcing of the high splicingiswarried inwardly of the. gore 54 and mark :60. Certaimof the edge wales 62 extend down theleg, around the heel and for-the length of the'footzportio-n/othersof said wales64 extend ,down the; leg,- around the. heel and terminate in qthe..mark-58. Certain of thewales GEE-inwardly of the mark 58 extend down the leg, around'the heel=-andfor the lengthof the foot portion, while other of the :wales '68 extend down theleg into the heel and terminate in the mark 60. It will also be seen that some of the wales 10 originate in the gore 54 and terminate in the mark 60 While other wales 12 originate in the gore 54 and extend downwardly into the foot. The wales 10 and T2 are angularly disposed with respect to the gore 54 and the mark 60 and the same number of wales are disposed between the edge of the stocking and the gore 54 down to the course 48. In the forms of stockings illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4 inclusive, narrowing is initiated after the course 50 and where it is desired that the narrowing be effected to form sole narrowing marks 14, as near as possible to the stocking edge, a narrowing finger of one or more needles is used. Where one needle is used a ragged edge occurs, which is undesirable, but where two or more needles are used a continuous edge is formed such as shown in Figure 5 at 56.

In the stocking illustrated in Figure 2, the narrowing mark 14 is terminated at the course 11, and subsequent to said course the narrowing mark 18 is formed similar to the mark 60. Thus in this form of stocking the extreme edge wales or wale is continuous down the leg, around the heel and for the length of the foot, a portion of said wale being in the mark 14, other outer wales ,19 adjacent to the edge will terminate in the mark 14, while certain inner wales will terminate in mark 58. Wales 82 similar to wales 66 will extend down the leg, around the heel and for the length of the foot, and wales 84 will be formed similar to wales HI, and wales 86 will be formed similar to wales 12.

In the stocking illustrated in Figure 3, the mark 74 is maintained for a predetermined distance to effect the proper shaping of the heel, and part of the sole and the outermost edge wale or wales will extend down the leg, around the heel and for the length of the foot, a portion of said wales being in the mark 14; Other wales 88 will be formed similar to wales 80, that is, terminating in mark 74 while others terminate in mark 58. Wales 90 will be formed terminating in the mark 14 while other wales 92 extend down the leg around the in Figure at 56 do extend continuously.

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exact embodiments of the process shown, which are merely by way-of illustration and not limitation as various and other forms of the process will, of course, be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claim.

I claim:

A stocking having a leg portion, a heel portion and a foot portion, the stocking being so constructed that certain of the marginal edge wales thereof extend down the leg portion, around said heel. portion and for the length of the foot portion, the heel portion'being knitted with a reinforcing thread and provided with a gore formed by aligned apertures beginning at the start of the heel and extending substantially equidistant from the heel edge for a portion of the length of the gore, a heel mock fashioning being formed in the heel for a predetermined distance causing certain wales adjacent said continuous wales to terminate therein, the mock fashioning terminating substantially at the course where the gore terminates, sole narrowing marks beingformed in said sole starting at a point substantially outwardly of the Wale in which the mock fashioning terminates and starting substantially at said course where the heel mock fashioning terminates, the length of said sole narrowing marks being such that substantially all of the wales between said gore and heel mock fashioning terminate in said sole narrowing marks, the reinforcing thread of said heel extending inwardly of :the start of the gore for strengthening the stocking adjacent the gore.

' EDWARD W. BOEDEKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of, this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,219,252 Cecka Mar. 13, 1917 1,404,702 Thierfelder Jan. 24, 1922 1,998,369 Heinitz Apr. 16, 1935 2,003,189 Heinitz May 28, 1935 2,073,197 Dietrich et a1. Mar. 9, 1937 2,132,496 Roesener Oct. 11, 1938 2,154,602 Berger Apr. 18,1939 2,198,846 Tesse -2 Apr. 30, 1940 2,273,675 Verbeek Feb. 17, 1942 2,319,224 Garrett May 18, 1943 2,330,681 Cobert Sept. 28, 1943 2,330,683 Cobert Sept. 28, 1943 2,347,457 Boedeker Apr. 25, 1944 

